Wire structure.



T. G. MBLISH.

' WIRE STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. s, 1907.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910. I

F/G. J.

UNTE

AT PA,

THOMAS G. MELISI-I, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE BROMWELL BRUSH& WIRE GOODS COMPANY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

WIRE STRUCTURE.

950,236. Application filed October 3,

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, THOMAS G. MELIsH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a re ident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton andState of Ohio, have ini vented certain .new and useful Improvements inire Structures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to wire-structures and more especially to thoseused in the construction and manufacture of rat-traps, l grading-screensfor sand and the like, and 1 its object is to provide a strpng anddurable rib that is adapted to be interlocked with and engaged by meshand binding wires in a ready and effective manner.

The invention consists in certain novel features of the construction,combination and arrangement of the several parts of the improvedwire-structure, whereby certain important advantages are attained andthe device is made simpler, cheaper and otherwise better adapted andmore convenient for use in rat-traps, sand-screens and the like, all aswill be hereinafter fully set forth.

The novel features of the invention will be carefully defined in theclaim.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrating my invention, Figure1 is a plan view of the wire-structure embodying my invention in oneform, such as is well adapted to use in a rat-trap; Fig. 2 is atransverse diagraphic view of a rat-trap embodying my invention in itsconstruction; Fig. 3, a longitudinal elevation, taken on the dotted-linea, a of Fig. 1 but on a larger scale, clearly showing my inventionherein as it appears when the parts are interlocked for use; Fig. 4, afragmentary elevation of one end of the rib seen in Fig. 3, such ribforming the principal feature of my invention herein and theinterlocking or intersecting wires being omitted in this view for thepurpose of clearness in showing the ver-- tical notches or seats in therib for the intersecting mesh-wires; Fig. 5, a transverse section of therib and the intersecting wires, taken on the dotted-line I), b of Fig.3, and showing said rib in whatmay be regarded as its preferred form forboth rigidity and strength; Fig. 6, a plan View of one end of l asheet-metal blank having transverse elongated openings or slots madetherein, such- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

1907. Serial No. 395,793.

blank being the one used in forming the said peculiar rib of mywire-structure; Fig. 7, a transverse diagraphic series of various formsof rib constituting my invention herein, each of such ribs having theloops and the vertical notches therein for the reception of theintersecting tie and mesh wires buthaving various formations of sidesand base portions and each rib showing therein a crosssection of a roundinterlocking tie-wire, a length or fragment of the usual bindingwirebeing also shown interlocked in place in said varied series of ribs, andthe preferred form of rib seen in Fig. 5 being also shown in this view;and Fig. 8, a view similar to Fig. 7, but showing flat interlockingtransverse tie-wires instead of the round ones seen in said Fig. 7.

In these views, 1 represents the ordinary mesh-wires, 2 the tie orbinding-wires and 3 the ribs or strengthening portions of the structure.The said mesh-wires intersect the said tie-wires and ribs and therebyform a wire-structure suitable for use in connection with themanufacture or building ofrattraps, grading-screens, or the like, Fig. 2being a diagraphic view of the rat-trap structure in my preferred form.Each rib 3 is composed of a single strip of sheet-metal a: having aseries of parallel transverse elongated openings or slots A made thereinand adapted to be bent longitudinally along its center to form being asuitable distance apart and separated by open notches formed by saidslots a and such loops being designated by the same numeral 4. Thelongitudinal side edges of thestrip of sheet-metal are preferably bentinwardly toward each other as shown at 6 in Fig. 5, and then bentoutwardly into the bases or flanges 7 as also seen in said Fig. 5. It isobvious that the loops 5 may be circular or rectangular incross-section, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, respectively, to accommodatetie-wires of either round or rectangular crosssection, respectively, asshown in said Figs. 7 and 8. The round wire is adapted for use inconnection with structures wherein it is not necessary to turn sharpcorners or-corners of very short are, such round wires being somewhatstiffer and less flexible than the rectangular ones, and suchrectangular ones being sufficiently flexible and pliable to take aroundsharp and short-arc corners in a series of loops 5, such loops 7 asubstantial backing the operation of making up my wire-structure intorat-trap and other forms of articles of manufacture.

In Figs. 7 and 8, I have shown several series of ribs that are hollowstructures that have loops or eyes of both circular and rectangularcross-section, the loops of such ribs having side extensions that maysimply taper inwardly, or lie at right-angles, or that may be benttoward each other inwardly, or bent away from each other outwardly, orthat may be bent inwardly and then downwardly and outwardly, all to suitthe purpose for which the structure is to be used, some structuresrequiring a very stiff rib while others require a less stifi' and rigidrib-frame.

In making up my wire-structure, I take a. parallel series of ribs andwind or otherwise lay a series of parallel, suitably spaced mesh-wire inthe open notches 4 of the loops or tubular portions of said ribs, then Iinsert a tie-wire in the loop portion of each rib, such tie-wire passingthrough said loops and bearing firmly on the mesh-wires that are seatedin the bottoms of said open notches, thus firmly interlocking said mesh-Wires with the ribs that intersect them. The act of passing or insertingsaid tie-wires through the hollow ribs is very simple and can be veryexpeditiously done, the inserting, end of each tie-wire being preferablypointed or tapered, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, if the tie-wires are roundones, so that the inserting ends of said tie-wires can freely passoverthe mesh-wires seated in the said open notches and thereby not comeinto obstructing contact with said mesh-wires. The flat orrectangular-cross-section tie-wires are readily inserted in therectangular-crosssection loops, seen in Fig. 8, without beveling orpointing .the inserting-ends thereof.

The preferred form of loop-rib seen in Fig. 5, wherein either a round orrectangular loop may be used, has the flanges 7 to form a base therefor,such flanges providing for the mesh-wires 1, all the tie-wires andmesh-wires being snugly and tightly interlocked with the ribs so that nopart of the mesh-wires adjacent said ribs of the wire-structure.

can be forced laterally out of its place in the notch of the rib tounduly separate or part the parallel series of such mesh-wires. Thus noundue openings at either side of the ribs can be ordinarily made in themeshwires for the escape or passing of anything through the mesh-wiresin any irregular or undesired manner.

In Fig. 1, I have shown how the meshwires are wound in progressive orspiral form customary in rat-traps, the notches in the parallel seriesof ribs being outof line to suit the pitch of such spiral winding of themesh wires. In mesh-wires would be straight across and the notches inthe several ribs in line with each other, as is obvious. v

The opposite ends of the ribs and the tiewires are suitably set orfastened in place, as

are also the opposite ends of the mesh-wires whether for rat-trap orgrading-screen use butit is not deemed necessary herein to show anyparticular manner of fastening the ends I claim As a new article ofmanufacture, an intersecting-wire and parallel continuous-rib structurecomprising a series of parallel ribs each formed of a blankelongated-strip of fiat sheet-nietal having a longitudinal series oftransverse, parallel slots made equidistant apart therein between thelongitudinal straight edges thereof and such transverselyslotted blankbeing longitudinally struck up along its central portion to produce analternating series of short, connected, circular eyes or loops andnarrow deep openings or seats, a series of parallel mesh-wires engagingthe bottoms cf said deep openings or seats and a series of paralleltie-wires respect-ively surinounting and intersecting said mesh-wires insaid deep openings or seats and engaging said circular eyes or loops forinterlocking the said ribs in place.

THOMAS G. MELISH.

gradingscreens, the

